Advice

Proverbs 12:15 (KJV) Says, "The way of a fool is right in his own eyes: but he that hearkeneth unto counsel is wise." Proverbs 19:20 (KJV) Says, "Hear counsel, and receive instruction, that thou mayest be wise in thy latter end." Proverbs 6:20-22 (KJV) Says, "My son, keep thy father's commandment, and forsake not the law of thy mother. Bind them continually upon thine heart, and tie them about thy neck. When thou goest, it shall lead thee; when thou sleepest, it shall keep thee; and when thou awakest, it shall talk with thee."

The above verses of scripture are just a few of many in which we are instructed to seek, remember, and heed good advice. Since no one person knows all there is to know about all things, then it stands to reason that each of us must seek advice on occasion. With that said, we must be careful who we seek advice from. The first route we should take in seeking advice is going to God in prayer and seeking it from Him. Secondly, if you have been blessed with Godly, loving parents, they are a great avenue for advice. Most parents love their children unconditionally, and have their best interest at heart. If your parents have gone home to be with the Lord, recall from memory all they taught you, then seek advice from other family members who love you, and want what is best for you. Another good source of advice is a friend or friends that have been in your life for a long period of time, and have shown themselves to be trustworthy. If you can't find the answers you need within your family, your inner circle of friends, or your Church family, then go to a professional who is experienced in the field for which you need advice. Do your research to be certain the professional you are seeking advice from has a Godly reputation, and don't be afraid to get more than one opinion as the above scripture includes the word counsel which can be made up of more than one individual.

The above scripture tells us it is wise to seek advice regarding things we are unsure about or inexperienced at, and that it is foolish not to. Let's say you are about to do something for the first time that your parents have done in the past, and are experienced at. Are you going to head out with an I've got this attitude, and do it on your own? Or are you going to seek their advice? If you're doing something for the first time that your older sibling did a few years ago, are you going to ask their advice on what you are about to experience? If you have a group of co-workers who just returned from the same business trip that you are about to take, are you going to ask them for any advice that may make your trip go smoother? If you need to make a business decision or create a business plan that normally requires a professional, are you going to go it on your own or are you going to pray about it and do your research?  

Many people would respond to the above questions by stating they would rely on their own discretion in lieu of seeking advice from others. There are three main reasons that people choose this route of independence, and the most common is pride. Some people are unwilling to admit that there is something they need assistance with because they view needing help as a sign of weakness.   The second reason is stubbornness. Some people would rather take the trial and error route than admit  there are some areas they lack knowledge in. Finally, many people won't seek advice because of a generation gap. An elder may not want to seek advice from someone younger because they have a "what do they know they are so young?" attitude, and a  younger person may not seek the advice of an elder because of their ""what could they know they are old?" mentality. Different generations could learn from one another, if we omitted this manner of thinking.  When we refuse to seek advice from others for one of the reasons I mentioned, or any other, we are asking for trouble. We may miss a step we need to take, or take a step we didn't need to take, we may cause our self grief that could have been avoided, we may take a great deal longer to accomplish something than was necessary, and the list goes on and on.

I want to encourage you today to follow the instructions given us in the word of God, and seek advice when you know you need it. Don't let pride, and stubbornness stand in the way of you doing what God's word tells you is wise. Don't be one of those people who refuses to seek advice, and later realize that decision was foolish. We can learn a great deal from others and avoid numerous mistakes, if we will only opt to do so.

If you have a prayer request and would like me to pray for you, leave me a message and I will be more than happy to do so. May God bless you.